Magnetic insulator nanolaminate device for integrated silicon voltage regulators

Abstract

A magnetic insulator nanolaminate device comprises a metal magnetic layer formed on a substrate, an insulating layer formed on the metal magnetic layer, wherein the insulating layer is formed by nitriding a portion of the metal magnetic layer, a chelating group layer formed on the insulating layer, and a metal seed layer bonded to the chelating group layer. The magnetic insulator nanolaminate device may be formed by depositing a metal layer on a substrate, converting a portion of the metal layer into an insulating layer using a nitridation process, and depositing a metal seed layer onto the insulating layer using a metal immobilization process, wherein the metal seed layer enables the deposition of a metal layer onto the insulating layer.

1 . A method of forming a magnetic insulator nanolaminate device comprising:
 depositing a metal layer on a substrate;   converting a portion of the metal layer into an insulating layer using a nitridation process; and   depositing a metal seed layer onto the insulating layer using a metal immobilization process, wherein the metal seed layer enables the deposition of a metal layer onto the insulating layer.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising repeating the processes of depositing a metal layer, converting a portion of the metal layer into an insulating layer, and depositing a metal seed layer until the magnetic insulator nanolaminate device has reached a desired thickness. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an electroless plating process is used to deposit the metal layer on the substrate. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a patterned photoresist mask is formed on the substrate to define which areas of the substrate the metal layer is deposited. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal layer comprises a cobalt metal, a nickel metal, or a combination of cobalt and nickel metal. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the insulating layer comprises cobalt nitride, nickel nitride, or a combination of cobalt nitride and nickel nitride. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nitridation process comprises exposing the metal layer to a nitrogen containing gas. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the nitrogen containing gas is selected from the group consisting of N 2 , NH 3 , N 2 O, triethylamine, hydrazines, and azides. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nitridation process comprises applying a plasma to the metal layer. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plasma comprises a carrier gas in combination with a nitrogen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of N 2 , NH 3 , N 2 O, triethylamine, hydrazines, and azides. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal seed layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of palladium, iridium, platinum, ruthenium, and osmium. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal immobilization process comprises:
 depositing a chelating group layer onto the insulating layer;   adsorbing a metal species layer onto the chelating group layer; and   reducing the metal species layer to form the metal seed layer.   
   
   
       13 . A magnetic insulator nanolaminate device comprising:
 a metal magnetic layer formed on a substrate;   an insulating layer formed on the metal magnetic layer, wherein the insulating layer is formed by nitriding a portion of the metal magnetic layer;   a chelating group layer formed on the insulating layer; and   a metal seed layer bonded to the chelating group layer.   
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the metal magnetic layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt and nickel. 
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the insulating layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of cobalt nitride and nickel nitride. 
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the metal seed layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of palladium, iridium, platinum, ruthenium, and osmium. 
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the device comprises multiple metal magnetic layers, multiple insulating layers, and an appropriate number of chelating group layers and metal seed layers to couple the metal magnetic layers to the insulating layers.